Eligible communication studies majors may complete up to nine (9) hours of course work through enrollment in COM 491 Directed Individual Study (DIS), with no more than six (6) hours of DIS work outside the COM major.  DIS hours are logged as general electives and do not count toward required COM classes in the B.A. program.  To qualify a student must be a junior or senor (minimum of 59 semester hours completed), and have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.  Individual faculty members may may enforce a higher GPA minimum at their discretion.

DIS projects are typically those that explore in greater depth one or more concepts studied in a completed COM class (or one in a related discipline).  In some cases, a DIS may be a one-on-one rendition of a course that will not be offered again before a student graduates, or a course offered at another institution that is not a part of the general UNCW COM curriculum.

Whatever the scenario, a student should submit a written DIS project to a potential faculty sponsor.  If a faculty member agrees to host a project, the student and faculty member refine the project proposal as they co-construct the experience, and the faculty member develops a related syllabus, for review and approval by the department chair and College of Arts & Science dean. 

Students should recognize that Directed Individual Study projects are upper-level (400-level) work and, as such, represent a rigorous, in-depth academic challenge.  DIS enrollments are not permitted to simply "fill hours."